John Locke Collected editions

John Locke (1632 – 1704) was an English philosopher and physician whose writings laid the groundwork for modern liberal democracy. Known as the “Father of Liberalism,” Locke’s works on government, human understanding, and religious tolerance influenced political thought on both sides of the Atlantic.

His Two Treatises of Government, particularly the Second Treatise, articulated the principles of natural rights, consent of the governed, and the right to revolution — ideas that shaped the American and French revolutions. Locke’s An Essay Concerning Human Understanding explored the nature of knowledge and the human mind.

Through his reasoned defense of liberty and individual rights, John Locke became one of the most influential thinkers of the Enlightenment.